Richard Nixon was the 37th president of the United States. For his job as the president I give him a C. Nixon accomplished things while in office but his own arrogance and selfish attitude cause his major downfall. If the watergate scandal had not occured Nixon might have been in a better position to do a lot more for our country, but many people felt betrayed and didn't trust him. Overall, Nixon was an unforgettable man and many have multiple views about him.
Goals:
While in office Nixon was an advocate for world stability. He traveled to Bejing and Moscow to ease the tension between the US and the USSR. A treaty to limit the use of nuclear weapons was proposed y Brezhnev and disengagement agreements were made between Egypt and Syria. Foreign affairs was first on Nixons agenda. He signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty to hinder the progress of the Soviet Union. In order to stabilize North Vietnam he sent more troops there for support. American influence in the middle east became stronger than ever and it was really making a difference. In 1973 a peace agreement with Vietnam was signed and American troops were withdrawn from the area. Nixon felt that having allies was necessary but that they were also responsible for protecting themselves. Nixons idea of a "New Federalism" policy allowed the federal government to provide more funding to the states. In the begining Nixon's presidency seemed like it woud change our government for the better.
Relationship with Congress:
As a Republican Nixon did not often see eye to eye with the Democrat majority congress. Nixon turned down funds that were voted by congress and in return congress rejected his nominee to fill a vacancy in the Supreme Court. Funding for the Vietnam war was one of the biggest issued between Nixon and Congress. Instead of talking things out with Congress Nixon remained stubborn and unwilling to come to an agreement, which only made things more difficult. He attempted to form a revolutionary "Super Cabinet" until the Watergate scandal rocked his presidency and strong ambitions.
Positive/Negative Outcomes:
On a positive note Nixon supported civil rights, provided federal disaster relief to India and Yugoslavia, and promoted official statehood for Hawaii and Alaska. Nixon was also strongly against the spread of communism and an advocate for human rights. He wanted to give states more money so the power could go back into the hands of the people. Benefits for illegal immigrants, banishment of price controls, and landing a man on the moon were also positive achievements of Nixon. The greatest negative thing that came out of this presidency was the watergate scandal. In 1972 the Watergate Complex (democratic headquarters) were broken into and information was stolen. When the men were tried and convicted they told police that white house officials had knowledge of the watergate break in before it even occured. It was suspected that Nixon had tapes which proved his involvement but he would not give them to police. Nixon in shame later resigned before he could be impeached.
Future Impact:
Althugh corrupt Nixons presidency was still influential because he managed to end the draft, create a new enviromental program, and introduce new laws against crimes. Our lives today our safer because of Nixon and people can now make a choice of whether or not they want to go to war. One of the biggest impacts on today's society are the technological advances in astronomy. Nixon provided funding to support space programs. When we landed on the moon America was once again a major power on the global stage and a force to be reckoned with.
Conclusion:
Nixon had his rough times in office but his intentions were good in the beginning. The grade of a C is well justified because he did take major strides to push America forward and was always willing to take a stance. He made his promises and fufilled them even though he made a major mistake and was led astray If the wateragte scandal never happened he would have been able to achieve a great deal more.
Name: Richard Nixon (1913-1994)
Political Party: Republican
Terms of Office: (1969-1974)
Vice President: Spirio Agnew (1969-1973)
Gerald Ford ( 1973-1974)
Thesis:
Richard Nixon was the 37th president of the United States. For his job as the president I give him a C. Nixon accomplished things while in office but his own arrogance and selfish attitude cause his major downfall. If the watergate scandal had not occured Nixon might have been in a better position to do a lot more for our country, but many people felt betrayed and didn't trust him. Overall, Nixon was an unforgettable man and many have multiple views about him.Goals:
While in office Nixon was an advocate for world stability. He traveled to Bejing and Moscow to ease the tension between the US and the USSR. A treaty to limit the use of nuclear weapons was proposed y Brezhnev and disengagement agreements were made between Egypt and Syria. Foreign affairs was first on Nixons agenda. He signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty to hinder the progress of the Soviet Union. In order to stabilize North Vietnam he sent more troops there for support. American influence in the middle east became stronger than ever and it was really making a difference. In 1973 a peace agreement with Vietnam was signed and American troops were withdrawn from the area. Nixon felt that having allies was necessary but that they were also responsible for protecting themselves. Nixons idea of a "New Federalism" policy allowed the federal government to provide more funding to the states. In the begining Nixon's presidency seemed like it woud change our government for the better.Relationship with Congress:
As a Republican Nixon did not often see eye to eye with the Democrat majority congress. Nixon turned down funds that were voted by congress and in return congress rejected his nominee to fill a vacancy in the Supreme Court. Funding for the Vietnam war was one of the biggest issued between Nixon and Congress. Instead of talking things out with Congress Nixon remained stubborn and unwilling to come to an agreement, which only made things more difficult. He attempted to form a revolutionary "Super Cabinet" until the Watergate scandal rocked his presidency and strong ambitions.Positive/Negative Outcomes:
On a positive note Nixon supported civil rights, provided federal disaster relief to India and Yugoslavia, and promoted official statehood for Hawaii and Alaska. Nixon was also strongly against the spread of communism and an advocate for human rights. He wanted to give states more money so the power could go back into the hands of the people. Benefits for illegal immigrants, banishment of price controls, and landing a man on the moon were also positive achievements of Nixon. The greatest negative thing that came out of this presidency was the watergate scandal. In 1972 the Watergate Complex (democratic headquarters) were broken into and information was stolen. When the men were tried and convicted they told police that white house officials had knowledge of the watergate break in before it even occured. It was suspected that Nixon had tapes which proved his involvement but he would not give them to police. Nixon in shame later resigned before he could be impeached.Future Impact:
Althugh corrupt Nixons presidency was still influential because he managed to end the draft, create a new enviromental program, and introduce new laws against crimes. Our lives today our safer because of Nixon and people can now make a choice of whether or not they want to go to war. One of the biggest impacts on today's society are the technological advances in astronomy. Nixon provided funding to support space programs. When we landed on the moon America was once again a major power on the global stage and a force to be reckoned with.Conclusion:
Nixon had his rough times in office but his intentions were good in the beginning. The grade of a C is well justified because he did take major strides to push America forward and was always willing to take a stance. He made his promises and fufilled them even though he made a major mistake and was led astray If the wateragte scandal never happened he would have been able to achieve a great deal more.BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.) "Richard M. Nixon | The White House." The White House. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2010. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/richardnixon>
2.) "Richard Nixon : Biography." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 May 2010. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAnixon.htm>.